The easiset (?) way to deal with the unknown

“It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor.”  ~Marcus Tullius Cicero

Note: When I wrote the title to this post, I didn’t realize that after I was done actually writing the post that the process I described for dealing with the unknown is not very easy for many people.  As a matter of fact, it takes a great deal of commitment and dedication, so perhaps it is not the easiest way to deal with the unknown — rather, once you make the commitment and invest the hard work ahead of time, then it is much easier to deal with the unknown.  I just thought I would point that out before I get into the actual post…Here we go…

Up here in Wisconsin, we deal with all types of weather, from tornadoes to winter storms.  This time of year, we never know what kind of weather to expect.  Will we get a relatively warm, sunny day, or will we experience bitter wind and cold along with a few (or many) inches of snow?  I am sure no matter where you live, you also face the uncertainty of mother nature and the weather she dishes out.

So what do we do to make sure we are prepared for those unexpected changes?  We prepare ahead of time, and we take care of our home, to make sure it’s up to the task of standing up to whatever weather mother nature throws at us.

Much as we need to prepare our homes for the unexpected and unknown, we also need to think about preparing the body we live in for the unexpected and unknown.  Whether it’s dealing with people who are physically ill and contagious, because they have a bug or virus, or dealing with the unexpected unpleasantness of another person, we need to prepare our bodies and our minds ahead of time, so that we are prepared to stand up to whatever others throw at us (hopefully not literally).

When it comes to dealing with the unknown, the easiest and best way to prepare for it is to make sure you have a well-kept house (or in this case body).  Make sure you take care of yourself physically — stay active and work on maintaining a certain level of fitness and health.  Consider taking vitamins or supplements to augment your health, under the supervision of a qualified professional or health care practitioner.  By doing this, your body will be primed to be more resistant to illness and disease, and if you do get sick, you get better faster.

Another reason why you want to make sure you are in good physical health is because it has a profound effect on your brain (and more importantly, your mind).  Maintaining good health and a good level of fitness will allow your mind to work more efficiently and effectively, and it will prime your mind to be willing to learn more and resist more negativity.  You’ll find that if you maintain a level of physical health, you are more tolerant of others and more understanding of differences.  You will also find that you are more energetic and enthusiastic about what the day has to offer.  In other words, you will feel more positive, and as a result, you will be less affected by negativity of others and more prepared to problem solve through unexpected and difficult issues.

This doesn’t mean that you have to get up and run ten miles today, when you have perhaps never run ever in your life.  You can start small by just making it a point to be more active today than you were yesterday.  It’s a great idea, however, to physically write down a goal and stick to it.  This will help improve your odds of following through on your commitment.  A great way to put pressure on yourself to commit to improved physical health is by making a financial commitment to it.  This is what I did — I weighed over 225 pounds when I signed up for a year’s membership at a local gym.  The financial commitment solidified my physical and mental commitment.  I didn’t want to waste money, especially when it wasn’t plentiful in the first place.  A year later I was over 70 pounds lighter!

Okay — I am just scratching the surface here…We could go so much deeper, but I don’t want to write you a chapter of a book (although it would make a good one)!

I challenge you today to look at your level of physical fitness and health.  Can it be improved?  How can it be improved, and what can you do to improve it.  I challenge you to write the answers down to these questions, and then make a commitment to follow through on your action plan.  You can do it — you just need to push yourself to commit!  I know you have it in you!

Take care!  Have a great day!

-Victor

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